, 1887-09-22
j. s. Fish Comm s-oa Str A1g-tro.s

Mr. James G. Swan. a--t.ta.. 20
the /. =. Fish Commissioners. has
received Il letter from Washington.
which he has kindly permitted rs a.
publish, Is follows:
!. ). COMMISSION 81. I'I-a A.n FT-.-
EEIEs, g. BRgw> G,ars, tuG-.r...s
Err
WAsHNGT,X, j. G.. Sept :. 1857.
Deer Sjr:-Thr Death g Ercf.s-sr =
Baird and the cou5cqleu; changes III
the management Of the Fish Com-
mission have rcul,End uac,S .arv ::
reconsideration OF tie proposal that
the Steamer AlbatTosS should be sent
to the Pacific coast. l have not been
able to find in the records OF The
Commission such satisfactory data
as might have influenced Professor
Baird to determine upon the project.
1t Is quite possible that there are
documents bearing UTou this subject
among his private papers; but. owing
TO the Ill health ;eIG absence OF GER
tain members OF his family. such
papers, If they exist, are inaccessible;
hence the necessity Of starting some
what de moro.
Knowing that you were one o. his
most trusted correspondents OF the
Pacific Coast. I write, at the aug-
gestion of the Commissioners, 10 ask
for any statements which yo,. are
able to make in regard 10 the eco.
nOmic benefits deriya6Ic from such
an explanation and rcigtiye TO the
wishes of those interested in the pro-
position If You know Of any peti-
tons having been sent TO Professor
Bard upon the subject, 1 VIII thank
you for such Information as viii ca
able me to replace item
Very respectfully,
CHAs ". SMILEY,
Chief Division Records and Publ
cations.
Mr.. JAMES G.. Swan. Port Town
send, Wash.
By this letter it appears that since
Professor Bairds death the new Of.
ficials are unable to find in the re-
cords of the Fish Commission any
data upon which Professor Baird
based his decision to send the AIba-
tross to this coast. and have sent to
MIR. Swan for information, as it was
through the exertions OF Afr. Swan
during the past three or four years
that Professor Baird decided to send
the Albatross to this coast. To Mr.
Swans first letter in the winter Of
1884, on the subject of the Fish Com
mission doing something for this
coast, Professor Baird replied chat
he doubted if he would find time to
attend to the matter, which wdHid
probably have 10 be atteuded to by
his successor. The next letter on tho
subject is February 10, 1856, when
Professor Baird writes that he would
like to send the Albatross 10 the Pa
cific coast, but she required new
boilers and it would take S20,G00 10
furnish her boilers and $4,000 more
to fit her for the voyages La June,
1886, the Professor writes more hope
full that Congress will grant the ap-
preparation. In August. TS6 he
writes that the appropriation foI the
new boilers has been made, and he
hopes before many months that the
Albatross will be 5teaming into Port
Townsend harbor, "but she would
not start before midsummer of 1887. )"
Now it seems that Professor Baird's
death has pWaIysed all this work and
Mr.. Swan has TO begin and do it al
over again; but as he has all the cor
respondence, which he vii furnish
the Fish Commission To ST. Nv tho data
for Professor Baird's conclusions 10
send the vessel here, it will remain
for the people of Puget Sound to MD
this matter by petitions to the a. S.
Fish Commission to continue and
carry ont Professor Baird's promised
plans. 1t now appears 10 the Com
mission that 40 one but 1fr. Swan
wants the Albatross to come out 10
do her part to deveiope the food fish
es and marine food products of the
North Pacific This is a Legitimate.
subject for the Boards OF Trade and
Chambers of Commerce OF PORT
Townsend, Seattle, Tacoma and
Olympia to take hold of at once, and
by their united action, show the ON
mission that it is the wish of the
people that the Albatross may be
sent to our waters, and to urge that
she be sent at once